Impact
by Military Xandir
Summary: I can see it easily...your cool facade has finally cracked. [Uchiha Sasuke, you are about to break.]
1. Sinning and Healing

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is far too amazing for me to own it. Seriously.

**A/N: **This fanfic was created because a rabid plot dust bunny took control of my brain. If I didn't post this, I would have been slowly driven insane. And I would like to keep hold of the little sanity that I still possess. This fanfic will be centered on Sasuke 90-100 of the time. Enjoy!

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When his long, dark lashes lifted slowly from his pale cheeks, he saw the he was surrounded completely by unfathomable darkness. Rising slowly to his feet, for he had awoken in a sitting position, he scanned the area around him, obsidian eyes taking in nothing but the inky black around him. Feeling slight suspicion, he raised a bare foot and stepped forward tentatively. As soon as the cream-colored, calloused foot met with the cool, dark surface, a great gust of wind blew towards the dark-haired shinobi. Acting on instinct, he threw his arms up in front of his face, arms crossed and hands balled into fists. The wind grew stronger and stronger, until a mighty gust knocked into the raven-haired shinobi, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying backwards through the cold air. Letting out a strangled yell, he flew back for only a few seconds before his bare back connected with a dark wall, followed by his head when his graceful neck snapped back. Head slumping forward, he opened his dark eyes that he couldn't remember closing. Woozy and disoriented, he reached back to rub his head where it had made contact with the hard wall. Letting his cool fingers brush against his dark hair gently, he gasped softly when he felt something wet resting there. Onyx eyes wide with shock, and he brought his hand back in front of his face, but couldn't make out anything in the inky darkness. Then a voice rang out through the black.

_"Uchiha Sasuke, you are about to break."_

With unthinkable speed, a blinding streak of pale blue light shot down from behind the dark wall and wrapped around the Uchiha's slender wrist in front of his face. Though it lingered for only a few seconds, the light was enough to confirm his suspicion immediately. He got a glimpse of blood-covered fingers before his arm was yanked back by his wrist, up and over his head. Feeling dread, he looked up at his imprisoned wrist and yanked at it, trying in vain to free himself. The only result of his action was a searing pain and crimson liquid flowing freely from behind where the bond of light was holding him prisoner. Preoccupied with the the horrible pain and the overwhelming sight of blood, _his blood_, the dark-haired shinobi failed to notice another tendril of light wrap around his remaining wrist. Before he knew what had happened, both wrists were pinned above his head, hands dangling uselessly.

_"You have caused so much suffering...including your own..."_

"Who's there? Who are you? Show yourself!" the Uchiha demanded angrily, swallowing his fear and putting on a brave face.

_"I am nothing but a messenger." _the voice answered mysteriously. _"Let me refresh your memory and remind you of the misery you have caused."_

The raven-haired captive sat as if he were paralyzed as images flashed before his eyes. A teenage girl with pale blonde hair smiled softly, but anyone could see that her smile didn't reach her empty blue eyes. A lazy shinobi studied the blonde quietly, concern written across his face. A tall man sat in front of a large monument, his masked face buried in his hands, muttering softly about how he failed as a sensei. A pink-haired kunoichi stood unflinching, her emerald eyes facing the sky, while her tears mixed with the cold rain. A green spandex-clad shinobi stood a few feet behind the cherry blossom kunoichi, downcast because he knew he could do almost nothing to heal her deep emotional wounds. A teenage boy with bright blonde hair sat on the edge of his bed, his head hung. Slowly, he lifted his head to reveal three whisker-like marks on each tanned cheek, and the brightest, most captivating cerulean eyes. Eyes filled to the brink with pain and despair. Eyes so penetrating, so blue, that they seemed to sear Sasuke's soul.

"No more! Please...please...no more..." Sasuke cried out, shaking his head wildly to clear those sad cerulean eyes from his mind.

_"That was quite an unexpected reaction, coming from you. I must admit that I didn't think you would get so emotional. Betraying him must have been one of the hardest things that have ever done. Very well then. I shall show you no more. But bear in mind, I didn't bring you here to remind you about those you know you have wronged. You are here, child, because you soul is fragmenting."_

Obsidian eyes were wide with shock. "My soul is...fragmenting?" he echoed in disbelief.

_"Correct. With ever sin, one's soul starts to develop minute cracks. The more one sins, the more larger and deeper the cracks get, until your soul eventually breaks apart. And you, child, have sinned a substantial amount in the seventeen years you have been alive. Though still intact, your soul is in grave danger of completely breaking apart. And those with souls beyond repair will be damned. There is nothing that can be done for a soul that has been destroyed in such a way."_

"So why are you doing this for me? Telling me all this, I mean. Are you trying to be my savior?" the Uchiha asked in a hollow voice, not bothering to be gracious.

_"As I have said before, I am nothing but a messenger. I would not pretend to be something that I am not. And the reason why I am informing you of all this is because there is hope for you. You have a savior child, and you must find who that person is. Your savior, as well as receiving genuine forgiveness from those you have wronged, are the only things that can heal your damaged soul."_

"Can you tell me? Who is my savior? Who is the one that can save me?" the dark-haired captive asked anxiously.

_"Foolish child! Do you really think that you will gain that information so easily? You must find out for yourself!"_ the Messenger said, disgust evident in his voice.

There was a pause, and the silence rang out through the darkness eerily. Pain continued to course through the Uchiha's body, but he ignored it, desperate to hear more from the Messenger.

_"I wish you luck child."_ the Messenger said softly, finally breaking the silence. _"Your journey to mend you soul is laced with difficulty. But I wouldn't have told you all that I have if your journey was futile. I shall leave you now. Good luck, child...good luck."_

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When his long, dark lashes lifted slowly from his pale cheeks, he noticed that his slender wrists were still pinned above his head, not by bonds of light, but rather a large, cold hand. He noticed that the bed he was lying on was covered in sweat, sheets tossed aside uselessly. He noticed that the pain he had felt moments before was replaced by a strong sense of foreboding. But most of all, he noticed the noticed the dark curtain of hair, too greasy to be his own, hanging onto his pale face, and the warm breath playing against his ear.

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**A/N:** Well the plot dust bunny and I are satisfied. For now. I have chapter 2 in the works. Review please, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! Rays of Dawn


	2. Raging Crimson and Empty Onyx

**Disclaimer:** All right. I'm breaking out the straight jackets for all those crazy people that might be under the impression that I own Naruto. I mean, I'm a lowly author with mediocre art skills. You are insulting Kishimoto if you even think for a second that I could possibly own Naruto. End of rant

**A/N:** _Special thanks to:_ **Shadow Lunis**, **Boshoku**, **Kairi and Cloud**, Mae, **Fuzzy** **Seduction**, **HIANA**, and **Pablo and Duck** for reviewing! It means a lot to me!

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In one fluid motion, the raven-haired shinobi tore out of the cold man's grasp and leapt off the bed. Breathing heavily, he turned to face the man, Sharingan eyes set in an intimidating, fierce glare. A glare that only an Uchiha could manage to do so frighteningly well.

"What do you think you're doing in here, Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked in a low, deadly voice.

"My my, Sasuke, you sure seem awfully testy." Orochimaru answered silkily, his amber eyes raking the Uchiha's body slowly. "You yelled out in the middle of the night, so I came to investigate."

Sasuke managed to hold his glare, despite how exposed and disgusted he felt. He had only worn black boxers and a white undershirt to bed, as was his custom. But now, he noticed how the black boxers rested on his hips loosely, and how the thin white undershirt, soaked with sweat, clung to his lightly muscled chest.

"I was fine. Never come in here without permission again." Sasuke stated shortly, his tone abrupt and full of malice.

"But you weren't fine, were you Sasuke?" the greasy-haired shinobi retorted, his amber eyes mocking. "When I came into your room, you had your arms crossed in front of you defensively, and your hands were balled into fists. I feared for your safety, so I pinned your hands above your head so that you couldn't injure yourself."

"And I'm guessing that waking me up would have been to complicated, huh?" Sasuke asked, his voice ringing with sarcasm.

"I won't deny it. Waking you up would have been the easiest thing to do. But I enjoyed the sight of you writhing on that bed, whimpering softly, far too much to end it." Orochimaru answered, a smirk plastered on his ivory face.

Sasuke's crimson eyes widened in horror, his mouth hanging slightly open due to shock. In an instant, he found himself pinned against a wall, forcefully held by Orochimaru's immense strength.

"I can see it easily, Sasuke..." Orochimaru hissed into the raven-haired male's ear. "Your cool facade has finally cracked. It won't be long until you are completely broken. And there is nothingyou can do to stop it."

And with that, Orochimaru released Sasuke and turned to leave the room, but not before one last look at Sasuke, his crimson eyes still miraculously set in a meek glare. The door clicked shut, signaling Orochimaru's departure. Raging crimson reverted back to empty obsidian, and pale knees gave out. Sinking to the floor slowly, he stared down at the floor, willing himself not to break down completely. The harsh truth of Orochimaru's words were so surprisingly accurate that it made Sasuke wonder if the older man even knew how right he had been.

'_And there is nothing you can do to stop it,' _

Those words echoed around in the Uchiha's head relentlessly, tormenting him. And then he remembered.

"The dream..." Sasuke whispered, his onyx eyes flickering with, faint, yet true hope. "There is something that I can do..." He sat in thought, trying to replay the entire dream by memory.

_'The lives that I have changed for the worse...the misery I have created...all that I have seen from that dream are all Konoha shinobi...' _Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. _'I have to go back...to Konoha...'_

Sasuke shook his head fiercely, trying to clear all doubt and unease from his mind. Standing up slowly, his brilliant Uchiha mind began to formulate a plan on how to escape. A plan to escape from hell on earth and return to the one place he never thought he would.

**Home.**

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**A/N:** I know this chapter is short. Please don't shoot me. I could have kept going, but I think that this was a good place to stop. And I have a lot of chapter 3 written out, so I should be able to update again soon! Please remember to review, because reviews help me type faster!


	3. Storm of Emotions

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own it. Plain and simple.

**A/N:** First off, I'd like to apologize for not updating sooner. I hope none of you forgot about me! I had what I thought was a decent plot line for chapters 3 and 4, but upon further inspection, I realized that Sasuke was way OOC, which is the last thing I want him to be. I like his attitude, and I plan on keeping him as IC as I possibly can. Then writer's block set in, and I could not think of what I wanted to happen in chapter 3. And then an idea finally came to me, and I think this one will work well. At least, I sure hope so...

_Special Thanks to_: Mae, **Kairi and Cloud**,** FuzzySeduction**, **Boshoku**, **Shadow Lunis**, and **Pablo and Duck** for your kind reviews! (gives cookies)

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The Uchiha sat on the edge of his bed, thinking of what he should do. His brilliant Uchiha mind had come up with many ideas on how to escape, but all were rejected upon further thought. He let out a groan of frustration, his handsome face buried in his pale hands.

_'What should I do? What should I do?'_ he asked himself over and over again anxiously. _'I told myself, as well as others, that I would be willing to sell my flesh to the devil for power. But now, my soul is shattering, and suddenly I want to take that all back...run away to Konoha.'_

At that moment, his older brother's words rang through his head, the words forever engraved in the young Uchiha's memory.

**_'If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life, and then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me.'_**

Waves of pain and sadness crashed upon his body like a tsunami. And from that mixture of pain and sadness, a storm of rage was created, renewing the vengeance and hatred in the Uchiha's body and helping it to grow. In one slow blink, onyx flashed to crimson. The rage continued to build, and his thirst for vengeance grew stronger and more powerful.

"I won't run away! I will become more powerful, and you will die by my hands, Itachi!" he roared in response to his brother's haunting voice, echoing inside his mind.

Still lost inside his anger, he turned violently when he heard a startled, indignant chirp outside his room. He looked out the window and saw a small, brown bird, flapping its wings wildly and awkwardly, almost as if it had forgotten exactly how to fly. The tiny bird landed on a branch a few feet away from the open window, studying the Uchiha with its small, intelligent eyes.

Not a second later, a sharp pain erupted in the very core of his being, quickly coursing through his entire body. The shinobi fell to his knees, pale hands clenching his dark hair roughly. He cried out, the pain tearing through him like a dull blade. The Sharingan faded behind closed eyelids, returning to the normal onyx hue. Slowly the pain subsided, leaving the Uchiha gasping and sweating. He released the death-grip on his silky, black hair, and moved a shaking hand over his chest. He opened his eyes slightly, the onyx orbs filled with agony and understanding. And all the while, the small brown bird watched unflinchingly, eyes locked onto the Uchiha.

'I...I see...That's what that voice meant when he said my soul is shattering. I guess he made it so that it can be felt now.' he thought as he pulled the sweat-soaked undershirt up over his head, exposing his toned upper body. 'Though I can't say I'm appreciative by any means. That pain made the curse mark seem like nothing in comparison. And how can I have revenge...when it kills me inside to even think about it?'

The Uchiha drew one knee up to his chest and let his head rest against it, his breaths finally evening out. He heard a small rustling sound, and turned his head, still resting on a pale knee, to see the same brown bird flapping its wings. Suddenly, the birds head slumped forward, and its body seemed to go momentarily limp. Then its head snapped back up, but the look in its eyes was different. It took off with incredible speed and grace, flying away from the window quickly. However, the Uchiha didn't get a chance to mull over the strange behavior of the bird. A sharp tapping on the door interrupted all thoughts on the brown bird.

"Sasuke? Orochimaru requests that you start your training now," someone said outside his door, and Sasuke recognized the voice as Kabuto's. Taking a deep breath, the Uchiha got up slowly, still feeling slightly shaky.

"I'll be right there," Sasuke answered back cooly, no traces of his current emotions in his voice. He moved to go get some clean clothes for the day, promptly forgetting about the strange brown bird.

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A shinobi sat on the hard ground, studying his teammate's motionless body, waiting for any signs of movement. Suddenly, blue eyes opened wide, and the person sat up straight.

"Ah, you're back," the shinobi said calmly. "Same old same old?"

"Hardly," his teammate answered. "There's been a change of plans. We have to execute the mission right away."

"Right away?" the shinobi echoed, shock evident on his face. "Why is that?"

"The way he was acting...his behavior...one minute he was yelling about killing his brother, and the next he was on the ground, crying out in pain. It was unnerving," his teammate said grimly, picking up a cat mask which indicated ANBU status.

"Okay, I guess we have no choice," the shinobi said, sighing, "We'll execute the mission at sundown."

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**A/N:** I'm sorry that this chapter is so short. I promise, the next update will be sooner and the chapter will be longer. I hope you all bear with me, because I don't plan on giving up on this fic! Please review, and I'll try to update as soon as I can!


	4. Reunion of Sorts

Disclaimer: If you honestly think that there might be a chance that I own it, I'm surprised that you can actually read.

A/N: If it's any consolation, I feel terrible for being so bad at updating in a timely manner. I have a long list of excuses, but I bet you all don't wanna hear them. So I'll just suffice by saying that I suck. Oh, and I changed my pen name. But you probably already realized that by now. And I would recommend rereading the first three chapters of this fic before reading this one...even I had to refresh my memory and reread them.

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Moving sluggishly, Sasuke walked over to his closet and pulled out a black, sleeveless shirt with a high collar and a pair of long, dark blue pants. He grabbed a pair of navy blue boxers as well, and trudged into his adjacent bathroom, closing the door behind him. Despite knowing that he would definitely be caked in dirt, and possibly blood, by the end of his training session, his sweat-lined body begged for an immediate shower. He set his clean clothes down on the cool floor and reached behind the shower curtain to turn on the water. Black boxers dropped to pale ankles as he stepped out of them and into the shower. The lukewarm water erupting from the sleek shower head flattened his hair against his face and the back of his neck as he sighed with relief. To him, water was a source of comfort and consolance, washing away his sweat, pain, and thoughts. It made him feel numb, and as far as he was concerned, no feeling was better than feelings of regret and remorse. Thick, dark eyelashes brushed against pale cheeks as he relaxed under the water, letting himself become vulnerable. He listlessly grabbed a clear bottle of unscented shampoo, dispensed some into a large palm, and began to rub in into his silky, drenched hair. Creamy conditioner and soap followed, each being taken away by the running water. Leftover suds gently kissed a trail down his lightly toned body before slowly swirling down the drain. His sense of time was lost completely as the liquid gently drummed on his back in a slow, steady rhythm. Only when the water started to cool did he justify that his shower was finally over. He turned the water off and watched the remnants of suds swirl down the silver drain. Reaching outside of the shower, he grabbed a fluffy, black towel from off of the sleek rack and rubbed his lightly muscled body dry. He then got dressed, his sopping hair quickly soaking through the back of his shirt. As he soaked up the excess water dripping from his hair, the numbing effects of his shower started to fade. Memories and emotions that had been temporarily suppressed started to bubble up to the surface again. Those memories, emotions, and bonds, try as he might to obliterate them, could not be destroyed completely. So every day, much like a high school girl would apply her makeup, the Uchiha would slip into his cool facade. Everything in his life that he couldn't handle would be masked under an apathetic shell. He tried to disregard Orochimaru's opinion, despite the small, nagging feeling that his facade wasn't as full-proof as it once was. Nevertheless, he depended on it, for coping with his past proved too difficult.

Stoic and expressionless, Sasuke stepped back into his room, bright sunlight now streaming through the window. He poked his head out, the noon sun heavily beating down on the earth. Well aware that Kabuto has summoned him for the training hours ago, he decided that it was finally time to leave. He grabbed his weapons pouch and chokuto. Then he turned toward the window, concentrated chakra to his extremities, and dove through the window.

This was his usual practice, because he didn't like to associate with anyone else from the village. As to avoid unwanted chats, he came up with different methods of getting around Otogakure without running into others.

He latched onto a thick, sturdy branch attached to the tree outside his window with his chakra laden palms, kicked his legs upward, and flipped into a crouching position onto the very same branch. The soles of his sandals rich with chakra, he stood on the branch for only a split second before jumping down from one branch to the next with grace and agility. In no time at all, his feet came in contact with the hard ground, and he started his casual walk through musty alleyways and behind various buildings, his usual unused path to the training grounds. After a few minutes of undisturbed walking, Sasuke finally arrived at his destination. There Orochimaru stood, a wide smirk on his pallid face.

"Mhmm, I'm glad you finally decided to join me, Sasuke," Orochimaru said silkily, amber eyes full of mirth.

Sasuke merely looked back at the snake sannin, eyes devoid of emotion. He made no move to apologize, or even look remotely remorseful for being so inconsiderate. The greasy-haired man narrowed his eyes slightly, annoyed at his special pawn's rudeness. If any of his subordinates treated him with such disrespect, he would dispose of them immediately. However, Sasuke was a special case. Even after one failed attempt, the sannin was determined to make the Uchiha his next body. The time was approaching steadily as the three-year anniversary of the first attempt crept closer. Physically, Sasuke had grown stronger and stronger since Orochimaru tried to take control of his body. But mentally, Orochimaru knew that the young shinobi was being increasingly worn down as the days went by. A long tongue darted out of his wide mouth, and he subconsciously licked his lips in delight.

Sasuke raised a slender eyebrow, not keen on knowing what the sannin was thinking.

"Today we will go one-on-one, using only our blades. I don't want you to to use any chakra or your Sharingan," Orochimaru stated after pulling himself away from his twisted thoughts.

"What's the point in doing this?" Sasuke asked bluntly, slightly opposed to fighting without his beloved Sharingan.

"It will improve your reflexes, stamina, and your skills with a blade," the sannin stated simply. Without warning, he unsheathed his sword and lunged at Sasuke, who barely managed to avoid the surprise attack. "Begin."

Sasuke quickly pulled his chokuto out from its resting place. The pallid sannin lunged again, but this time the Uchiha was ready. He blocked the attack and all those that followed. The fight was fast-paced, relentless, and deadly, though neither shinobi had managed to draw blood yet. Every swing was blocked, the metal making a spectacular sound every time it clashed. Once more, Orochimaru leapt toward Sasuke, only one hand holding the hilt of his finely crafted sword. Sasuke easily deflected Orochimaru's attack, knocking the sannin's sword to the side with his own. The amber-eyed man smirked, held up his other arm swiftly, and aimed it at the raven. Scaly green serpents sprang forward from his black sleeve, mouths open and fangs glistening. Wide-eyed, Sasuke jumped backward to avoid the attack, but one sharp fang managed to cut above his [? eyebrow. Blood dripped down from the wound and he hastily shut his eye to avoid the crimson liquid dripping into it. Scowling, Sasuke lifted his shirt up and over his head and wiped the excess blood. The wound wasn't very deep, yet the blood flowing forth was enough to obstruct the vision in his right eye. It continued to seep forth from the cut, covering the pale eyelid with a messy curtain of blood.

"I thought you said that this was a weapon with only our swords," Sasuke said acidly, glaring at Orochimaru with one fierce eye.

"No, no, you misunderstood me," Orochimaru said, smirking lightly, "I meant that I didn't want **you** to use anything but your chokuto."

Pearly white teeth ground together and a dark look shadowed the raven's bloodied face. He received yet another smirk in response as the sannin flipped his greasy hair back with one pale hand. Carefully planning his next move, Sasuke gripped his chokuto tightly as he held it in front of him. He would make Orochimaru pay.

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"Okay, let's review the plan one more time," the Anbu said, fingering the cat mask nervously.

"We've been over this so many times...I don't want to go over it again" was the lazy drawl that the Anbu received in response.

"But this is my first big mission as an Anbu...I don't wanna mess it up!" the Anbu whined. "Can't we go over it once more?"

"No."

Blue eyes narrow, and an indignant huff escaped from between light pink lips. "Lazy bastard..."

"We don't have time to go over it again. The sun is going to set soon," he said, deep brown eyes regarding the sky thoughtfully.

"No way...it's finally time?" the Anbu asked in an excited whisper.

"Yeah, it's time. Let's get into position." he stated simply.

"We have backup...right?"

"Of course we do," the chocolate-haired man scoffed.

"Well, how many people?" the Anbu continued to pester.

"Just one."

"Great. If we have any opposition, we are _so_ dead," the Anbu said bitterly, securing the cat mask back onto it's rightful place.

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Panting heavily, Sasuke continued his feeble attempts at staring down the sannin. Both had received numerous cuts and gashes along their sweat-lined bodies, staining their clothes and weakening them slowly. Orochimaru was fairing worse than Sasuke, despite his advantage, but it wasn't by much. Both shinobi were tired, hungry, and growing weaker with each blow, but neither would show it. The sun was now dipping below the horizon, vibrant colors splashed along the sky beautifully.

After deciding on a new plan of action, which was along the lines of using jutsu to knock the sannin out and be done with it, Sasuke readied himself for an attack. He moved to take a step forward, but found that his leg wouldn't obey. He tried to move again, but his body wouldn't budge for an instant. His one useful crimson eye widened to its fullest extent as realization dawned on him.

"I-I recognize this jutsu!" he thought to himself in disbelief, his eye following the thin, barely noticeable shadow that stretched out to the woods. He saw the foliage rustle for just a second. Then there was a rushing sound, a strange feeling of impact, and then nothing.

Both eyes closed, Sasuke stood unnervingly still. When the shadow receded slightly, his graceful neck fell forward, head dangling limply. Orochimaru watched, one slender eyebrow raised questioningly, thinking that Sasuke had possibly reached his limit.

Suddenly, the Uchiha's head sprang back up, both eyes opened. Orochimaru finally realized that something wasn't right when a wide grin broke out across the avenger's face. The expression might have been completely foreign, but it suited him beautifully.

"Phase One is a success. Moving on to Phase Two!" the smiling Uchiha exclaimed, looking toward the woods.

The long shadow finally receded completely, back to its rightful owner, who then stepped out of the woods. He moved a bit slowly, either due to his laziness or the petite kunoichi, clad in Anbu gear and a cat mask, draped over one of his strong shoulders.

"We're here to take back Sasuke, Orochimaru," Shikamaru said in a commanding tone, "and you won't stop us this time."

"Oh? And what makes you think that I'll just let you walk out of my village without a fight?" Orochimaru asked, his voice full of amusement.

'Sasuke's' grin faded and he raised his chokuto and held it steadily to his throat. "Your precious vessel's life is on the line. Give us problems and I will make it so that you can never use him."

"I know of this technique, and I know of its weaknesses. Are you really willing to give up your own life?" the sannin asked, still looking highly entertained.

'Sasuke' smirked and lowered the weapon away from his throat and held it up to his left hand. He drew the blade across the pad of his thumb, watching as blood began to spill from the new cut.

"Show him my left thumb," he commanded to Shikamaru, who obeyed. He held up the blonde's left hand, showing Orochimaru the unmarred thumb. There was no cut, no drop of blood to be seen.

"And the best part is, I don't feel any pain for the damage I do to my hosts," 'Sasuke' smirked. "My host can be injured, but it does nothing to my own body."

Orochimaru's amber eyes widened, but he instantly composed himself. "I guess I have no choice but to let you go," he said, shrugging indifferently. Despite the fact that he believed that the kunoichi possessing Sasuke was bluffing, it was a risk that he couldn't take. The deadly seriousness that shinned in Sasuke's eyes made it appear that she would be all to willing to kill off her host if she had no other choice. Besides, he was already injured and in no health to take on two fine Konoha shinobi.

Shikamaru nodded and 'Sasuke' leapt over to his side in one easy bound. They were about to make a quick retreat when Orochimaru's smooth voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Bear in mind, Sasuke will come back to me...one way or another."

The comrades exchanged quick glances before leaping into the woods, wasting no more time. From tree branch to tree branch they jumped with extreme grace and agility. After a few minutes, a hand motion from Shikamaru signaled a halt.

He concentrated intently, ears pricked for any signs of enemy pursuing them. Sensing no danger, he let out a small sigh, and then lifted his finger to his ear and pushed gently on a small, flesh-colored button.

"Phase Two was a success. There was no opposition," he said in a soft, yet clear tone.

"Roger. Commence Phase Three?" a male voice answered back through the communication device.

"Right. Where will we rejoin?" the lazy nin asked.

"Don't worry about it, I'll find you. Just concentrate on Phase Three. I'll radio over if met with any opposition. Over and out."

Shikamaru removed his finger from his ear and then moved the limp kunoichi from one shoulder to the other carefully.

"Phase Three?" 'Sasuke' asked, receiving a small nod in response. The two then continued their fast-paced journey through the dense forest.

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'_What...what's going on?' _Sasuke thought to himself. He could see that he was traveling through a thick forest, but it was as if he was seeing it through a cloud of haze.

_'Just stay calm,' _a soft, feminine voice replied, a voice that was familiar to him, yet he couldn't place it.

_'What the hell are you doing in here? This is my body,'_ he said more forcefully. He now sounded more angry than confused.

_'Just stay calm, Sasuke,'_ the voice pleaded with him. 'Just stay calm and cooperate with me,'

_'I will not let you have control over my body. I won't let anyone have control over it,'_ Sasuke replied, his voice low and deadly.

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Up in the trees, 'Sasuke' stumbled as he landed on a branch, onyx eyes wide in fear. He started to pitch forwards, letting out a strangled cry as he fell toward the ground.

"Ino!" Shikamaru yelled futilely, fully aware that he would not be able to save the falling ninja.

With little grace and a lot of luck, Ino managed to land without severely injuring Sasuke's body in the fall. However, his doubled-over body shuddered violently, pale hands clutching onto dark hair mercilessly.

Shikamaru quickly jumped down onto the hard ground beside his shaking comrade, chocolate-colored eyes full of concern.

"What is it? What's going on?" he asked in a rush.

"Sasuke...he's rejecting my presence. I won't be able to stay in his body much longer."

"Shit, that's troublesome. Your unconscious body is light and easy to hull around, but I bet Uchiha is a lot more to hull around," Shikamaru stated, looking slightly annoyed at the prospect of additional labor.

'Sasuke' looked up at the lazy nin, eyebrows furrowed. He opened his mouth to say something, presumably and insult of some sort regarding his sheer laziness, but at that moment his body shook with one last violent tremor. "S-shit," he managed to choke out before his body went limp, falling sideways onto the forest floor.

Shikamaru lifted Ino's body off of his shoulder and held her upright beside him, waiting patiently for her to wake up. Her lithe figure tensed suddenly, and powder blue eyes snapped open behind the Anbu cat mask. Shikamaru then let her go, and she rubbed her forehead gently as she took as few wobbly steps away from him.

"Gawd, it was like he was shoving kunai into my forehead when he figured out that I had taken over his body. I'd have to say I liked possessing that little bird better. As hard as it was to fly, there wasn't a threat of it regaining control," Ino said, quite glad to be back in her own body.

"Yeah, but being a bird makes it awfully hard to use any jutsu. Now be on your guard. He could regain consciousness at any moment," Shikamaru warned, receiving a brief nod in response.

Mere seconds later, Sasuke's limp body stiffened and then shifted. Both dusty blue and deep brown eyes regarded the stirring Uchiha cautiously.

Sasuke stirred again, and an obsidian eye cracked open. He saw the trunks of large trees and the forest ground that he was laying on, and he then realized that he had forcefully been removed from Otogakure. He started to get up, his dark eyes melting into the crimson red of Sharingan. Pain ripped through his body with every step, but he was determined to make the Anbu that had controlled him pay. Nobody took over his body, no matter how long or for what purpose. He faced the blonde female, anger coursing through his body like a deadly sickness. He wasn't sure what terrifying jutsu he would use to punish the Anbu, but that didn't matter to him. All that matter was revenge. All that ever mattered was revenge.

He felt a familiar twinge of pain deep within his body, but he believed that wouldn't stop him this time. And in a way, the avenger was right. The pain of his soul shattering was not what stopped him from attacking the masked Anbu with everything he had. Instead, it was a tanned fist that connected with the side of his head that sent him flying through the air. Sasuke hadn't even noticed that a third had joined up with the two ninja that had kidnapped him, until that third member landed a punch that sent the raven flying through the air. He landed a few feet away and rolled a few times until he finally lost the unwanted momentum. His creamy pale limbs were splayed out awkwardly as he laid stiffly on his side. Then the pain of his soul ripping apart took over, as well as his fatigue from his other injuries. He let out a small groan of pain, eyebrows furrowed and eyes tightly closed, before he was finally swallowed up by blackness.

"Phew. Glad you caught up, and just in time too." Ino said, letting out a long sigh of relief.

She walked over and prodded Sasuke's limp body. "Wow, he's out cold. You really didn't hold back, did you?"

"No, I owed the teme that one," the new arrival said softly. A handsign later, a doppleganger appeared beside him. The two walked over the the subdued raven, hoisted him up, and wrapped Sasuke's limp arms around the two's shoulders, so that the unconscious shinobi was propped up between the two.

"Now," he said slowly, as if he were savoring the words before they left his mouth, "let's go home."

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A/N: I'm sorry if that chapter was confusing or sucky or just plain random or the latter. I really will try my best to keep up with this fic, and I won't make the next update take so freaking long. Please review and let me know what you thought. I hope you can all forgive me for my general sucky-ness. -weak smile-


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